System and method for performing system memory save in tiered/cached storage

ABSTRACT

In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method for performing a system memory save in tiered or cached storage during transition to a decreased power state is disclosed. As disclosed herein, the system incorporating aspects of the present invention may include a flash or other nonvolatile memory such as a solid-state drive, volatile memory, and at least one alternate storage media. Upon transition to a decreased power state, at least some of the data in the solid-state drive, for example, may be transferred to the at least one alternate storage media. After the SSD data is transferred, data stored in volatile system memory, such as a system context, may be transferred to the SSD memory. With the system context saved in SSD memory, power to the volatile system memory may be turned off.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the operation of computer systems and information handling systems, and, more particularly, to a System and Method For Performing System Memory Save in Tiered/Cached Storage.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to these users is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may vary with respect to the type of information handled; the methods for handling the information; the methods for processing, storing or communicating the information; the amount of information processed, stored, or communicated; and the speed and efficiency with which the information is processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include or comprise a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.

An information handling system may include many different devices and components. Each of the devices and components require power to operate, and the information handling system may include pre-defined power states in which the information handling system may operate. The pre-defined power states may be, for example, the power states defined by the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification (ACPI). The ACPI includes various sleep states in which segments of the information handling system are powered down at the expense of wake latency and system context. One example state, S3, is a low wake latency sleeping state where all system context is lost, except for volatile system memory, e.g. RAM, which remains powered. One problem with S3 is that, in large memory systems, the S3 state still requires significant power consumption. Moreover, transferring to a lower power state, such as S4, where all devices are powered off, significantly increases the wake latency of the computer system.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method for performing a system memory save in tiered or cached storage during transition to a decreased power state is disclosed. As disclosed herein, the system incorporating aspects of the present invention may include a flash or other nonvolatile memory such as a solid-state drive, volatile memory, and at least one alternate storage media. Upon transition to a decreased power state, at least some of the data in the solid-state drive, for example, may be transferred to the at least one alternate storage media. After the SSD data is transferred, data stored in volatile system memory, such as a system context, may be transferred to the SSD memory. With the system context saved in SSD memory, power to the volatile system memory may be turned off.

The system and method disclosed herein is technically advantageous because it creates an intermediate low power, low latency system sleep state, which offers less power consumption and faster waking function than existing ACPI sleep states without a requirement for dedicated storage. Additionally, it exploits flash or other nonvolatile memory such as a SSD memory in a system with multiple types and levels of storage media, utilizing both the configuration or existing cached and tiered systems and the speed of SSD memory to increase power consumption without drastically decreasing wake latency Other technical advantages will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the following specification, claims, and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an example information handling system according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example storage system according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example storage system according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example SSD according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example process for SSD memory management according to aspects of the present invention

FIG. 6 is an example process for transition to a decreased power state according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example process for transition out of a decreased power state according to aspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communication with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.

Shown in FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical information handling system. A processor or CPU 10 of the typical information handling system 5 may be communicatively coupled to a memory controller hub or northbridge 30. Memory controller hub 30 may coupled to volatile memory 20 and a graphics processing unit 40. The volatile memory 20 may be random access memory (RAM) that is typically used to store system context or system memory during a transition to an S3 sleep state. Memory controller hub 30 may also be coupled to an I/O controller hub or southbridge 60. I/O hub 60 may be coupled to storage elements of the computer system, including a storage element 50, which may be ROM for the BIOS of the computer system, and the system storage 70 of the computer system. The system storage 70 may be the primary storage medium for the information handling system 5, and may include, for example, a combination of storage media, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), optical drives, and solid-state drives (SSDs) such as flash memory. An SSD is used here as an example of flash or other nonvolatile memory. Implementations and methods using a flash module not recognized by an operating system as a storage device but used by a storage driver as a cache are substantially the same as those described for an SSD.

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a storage system 200 in which aspects of the present invention may be incorporated. Storage system 200 may include an SSD cache 201, which may include non-volatile, fast access memory such as flash memory. The SSD cache 201 may be communicatively coupled to other components in an information handling system via bus 205. The SSD cache 201 may also be communicatively coupled through main memory under control of the processor, for example, to HDDs 202 and 203, which may be the primary storage media for an information handing system. In certain embodiments, an information handling system, such as information handling system 5 in FIG. 1, may include instructions for software dedicated to managing read/write commands to storage media, such as a storage driver. The instructions may be stored in storage media, such as a HDD, and may be executed by a processor in the system, such as the CPU or a storage controller. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, storage driver 204 may direct the SSD cache 201 to cache certain files for the cache source, HDDs 202 and 203, according to a caching policy. One example caching policy is a write-back policy in which modifications to data in the cache are not copied to the cache source until absolutely necessary.

FIG. 3 shows a different embodiment of a storage system 300 in which aspects of the present invention may be incorporated. Storage system 300 may include a tiered or hierarchical storage system, consisting of two or more kinds of storage delineated by differences in at least one characteristic, such as price, performance, capacity or function. The storage media may be organized into tiers according to access times for each type of storage media. Storage system 300 may include an SSD memory 301 in one tier and HDDs 302 and 303 in another tier. The SSD memory 301 may be comprised of flash memory or other well known SSD storage media known in the art. The storage system may communicate with an information handling system through communication bus 304. Additionally, dedicated software, such as storage driver 305, may control read/write commands to the tiered storage system 300. Because SSD memory is typically much faster than HDDs, the storage driver 305 may direct the most frequently accessed files to be stored in the SSD portion 301. Likewise, storage driver 305 may direct the transfer of less frequently accessed files to SSD portion 301 if the access frequently increases. Conversely, files that are accessed less frequently may be stored in HDDs 302 and 303.

A system incorporating aspects of the present invention may exploit the non-volatile memory, such as SSD memory, in either the cache or tiered storage system to store system information during certain system sleep states. FIG. 4 illustrates one example embodiment of nonvolatile memory, SSD memory 400, incorporating aspects of the present invention. The SSD memory 400 includes memory blocks for storing data. In certain embodiments, some of the blocks of the SSD memory 400 may be used to store transfer control data—data that may be used, as will be explained, in the process for storing system information to nonvolatile memory, such as SSD memory 400, during sleep transition. One example may be an available block list, stored in memory block 401. The available block list may identify empty blocks within the SSD memory, such as memory blocks 411-420, which can be used to cache files or save system memory upon transition into a sleep state. Note that the number of blocks shown is small relative to the number in an actual system. Another example may be target block list, stored in memory block 402. The target block list may identify empty blocks within the SSD memory for saving system memory upon transition into a sleep state, and may be the same as or a subset of the available block list. An additional example may be a flush block list, stored in memory block 403. The flush block list may identify occupied blocks within the SSD memory, such as blocks 404-410, which must be transferred before system memory can be stored there. A flush block list may, in certain embodiments, include both a source (the SSD memory block) and a location (an HDD block corresponding to the file). The available block list, the target block list, and the flush block list, however, are not meant to be limiting, as numerous other examples of transfer control data are possible, including transfer control data stored in various locations with the SSD memory or outside of the SSD memory. The various blocks are shown sequentially for ease of illustration but may exist in any order.

Each of the available block list, the target block list, and the flush block list may be updated and maintained as part of the operation of a storage system. FIG. 5 is representative of existing cache processes with enhancements to support aspects of the present invention, such as including a process by which the lists may be updated during the operation of the storage cache. In certain embodiments, a storage driver, such as the storage driver discussed earlier, may update and maintain the transfer control data. In other embodiments, other system and software components may be used to update and maintain the transfer control data. Additionally, a similar process may be used in other configurations, including a configuration with a tiered storage system. For either tiered or cached storage hierarchies, a copy of the contents of the nonvolatile memory, such as flash or SSD, to be used to store system memory contents may need to be copied to alternate storage or back to their source location. Using cache terminology, if the cache is write through, an invalidate without copying data is needed. If the cache is write back, a copy with invalidate is needed.

The process may start when an information handling system attempts to place a new file within storage cache, such as cache SSD memory. At step 501, a system or a component of the system, such as a storage driver, may determine whether the size of the new file is less than the size of the available space in the cache SSD memory. The available space within the cache SSD memory may be determined by multiplying the number of blocks in the available block list with the size of each block, or the available size may be a separately tracked by the system. If the new file size is greater that the available space in cache SSD memory, an existing block or blocks in cache SSD memory may be transferred to the cache source and/or invalidated by the system at step 502. As the block is now vacant, the system may then place an identifier for the block on both the available block list and the target block list at step 503.

If the new file size is less than the available space in the cache SSD memory, then the system may transfer the new file into SSD cache memory at step 504. Because previously vacant blocks are now occupied, the system may then update both the available space list and the target block list by removing the occupied blocks at step 505. The process may then move to step 506, where the system determines whether the available space left in the cache SSD memory is greater than a reserve requirement. The reserve requirement may be any amount of memory that needs to be left available for system operations. This may include leaving blocks open to facilitate a quicker transition to a sleep state, leaving blocks open to accommodate the expansion of the available block, target block, or flush block lists, etc. If the available space does not exceed the reserve requirements, existing block or blocks in SSD cache memory may either be transferred to the cache source or invalidated by the system at step 507. The vacated blocks may then be placed on both the available block and target block lists in step 508. If, alternatively, the available space does exceed the reserve requirement, the system may exit the process and await further instructions.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example process by which a information handling system transfers into a low power, low latency sleep state according to aspects of the present invention. The process may begin when the information handling system issues or receives a command to enter into a low power, low wake latency sleep state. At step 601, the system may determine whether a target space is greater than the size of memory to be transferred into SSD cache memory from volatile memory. Target space may, for example, be determined using the target block list and multiplying the number of blocks in the target block list by the size of an SSD cache memory block. If it is determined at 601 that the target space is too small to accommodate the memory to be transferred, the storage driver may, at step 602, invalidate a file—remove a memory flag corresponding to a file—in the SSD memory. At step 603, the system may add the vacated block to the flush block list, the available block list, and the target block list. The process may continue comparing target space with memory size and invalidating files until the target space is large enough to accommodate the memory to be transferred. After enough space in the SSD memory is available, the flush block is finalized.

Once the flush block list is finalized, the system may move on to processing the flush block list at step 604 by transferring the files in the flush block list out of SSD cache memory and into their source or alternate storage media, such as HDD. The system may transfer each file in the flush block list at the same time at step 605 or, alternatively, may transfer each file individually and iteratively until the flush block list is empty. Once the flush block list is empty at step 604, meaning each file listed in the flush block list has been stored elsewhere in the system, such as HDDs, the system may continue to step 606, in which the memory to be transferred, such as system context from volatile memory, is transferred to the SSD memory. In some embodiments, the memory to be transferred may be transferred using a simple, in-order transfer, so that the data location of each block of the memory to be transferred is preserved across save and restore. Once the memory is transferred, the system may move to step 607, in which the volatile system memory is powered down. Line 608 may represent a transition between storage driver and firmware control.

FIG. 7 illustrates one example process from waking from a low power, low latency sleep state, according to aspects of the present invention. The process may begin when an information handling system issue or receives a wake command. In some embodiments, the wake command may be received from a user of the information handling system attempting to use an I/O mechanism of the computer system, such as a keyboard or mouse. After receiving or issuing the wake command, the system may first, at step 701, power up system components. At step 702, the system may transfer the data stored in SSD memory back to its source, volatile system memory or RAM. After the memory is transferred, the system may clear the flush block list at step 703, ensuring that none of the SSD memory blocks are set to be flushed. Line 704 may represent a transition between firmware and storage driver control.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the steps identified in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be accomplished using a storage driver, such as the storage drivers described earlier. In other embodiments, some or all of the steps may be accomplished by another system components, such as BIOS. For example, a storage driver may perform steps 601-603, finalizing the flush block list, and passing the flush block list, available block list, and target block list to a different system components, such as BIOS, as indicated by line 608. The BIOS may then transfer data out of the SSD memory according to the flush block list, and transfer memory from volatile memory into the SSD memory per the target block list, as illustrated in steps 604-606. Additionally, once a wake command is received or issued, the BIOS may perform steps 701 and 702 from FIG. 7, powering up the system and transferring the SSD memory contents back to volatile memory, and then pass the flush block list back to the storage driver for processing, as illustrated by line 704. Other configuration and processing mechanisms are possible, as will be seen by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present application.

A system incorporating aspects of the present invention is beneficial in that it allows for a low latency, low power sleep state. For example, a system incorporating aspects of the present invention may include an intermediate power state between ACPI S3 and S4, with lower power consumption than S3 and lower wake latency than S4. Because SSD memory is used instead of RAM or volatile memory to store system context, the volatile memory can be powered down, saving considerable power in large storage system applications. Additionally, the power savings is accompanied with a minimal increase in latency, as the SSD memory is fast access and the system context can be quickly transferred back to volatile memory when a wake command is issued or received. Finally, a system incorporating aspects of the present invention is beneficial in that it exploits SSD memory in a system with multiple types and levels of storage media, utilizing both the configuration or existing cached and tiered systems and the speed of SSD memory to increase power consumption without drastically decreasing wake latency.

Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for performing a system memory save in non-volatile cached storage, the processing instructions for directing an information handling system comprising at least one processor to perform the steps of: receiving a command to transition into a decreased power state, wherein the decreased power state is an intermediate power state between ACPI S3 and S4; determining if available space in a non-volatile primary storage exceeds a reserve requirement; invalidating a first part of the contents of a non-volatile cached storage in the information handling system, wherein the invalidating continues until available space of the non-volatile primary storage is large enough to store a second part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage; transferring the second part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage to the non-volatile primary storage, wherein the non-volatile cached storage is operable to cache files for the non-volatile primary storage; transferring at least part of the contents of volatile memory in the information handling system to the non-volatile cached storage; and powering down the volatile memory.
 2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile cached storage comprises solid state drives (SSDs) in the information handling system.
 3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein at least part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage are transferred to alternate storage media in the information handling system.
 4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the non-volatile primary storage comprises SSDs in the information handling system.
 5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein volatile memory in the information handling system includes system RAM.
 6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein a storage driver controls the non-volatile cached storage.
 7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the processing instructions further direct the information handling system to perform the steps of: generating a list of data in the non-volatile cached storage to be transferred upon transition to a decreased power state; and passing the list of data to a system BIOS.
 8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the list of data in the non-volatile cached storage is performed by a storage driver associated with the non-volatile cached storage.
 9. A system for performing a system memory save in non-volatile cached storage, comprising: a processor; non-volatile cached storage media; non-volatile primary storage, wherein the non-volatile cached storage media is operable to cache files for the non-volatile primary storage; volatile memory; and a computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions, wherein the processing instructions when executed: determine if available space in a non-volatile primary storage exceeds a reserve requirement; invalidate during a sleep state transition a first part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage media, wherein the sleep state is a power state between ACPI S3 and S4, and wherein the invalidation continues until available space of the non-volatile primary storage is large enough to store a second part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage; transfer the second part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage media to the non-volatile primary storage; transfer at least part of the contents of volatile memory to the non-volatile cached storage media; and power down the volatile memory.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the non-volatile cached storage media comprises flash memory.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage are transferred to an alternate storage media in the information handling system.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-volatile primary storage comprises flash memory in the information handling system.
 13. The system of claim 9, wherein volatile memory in the information handling system includes system RAM.
 14. The system of claim 9, wherein a storage driver controls the function of the non-volatile cached storage media.
 15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing instructions further direct the processor to generate a list of data in the non-volatile cached storage media to be invalidated upon transition to a decreased power state and pass the list of data to a system BIOS.
 16. The system of claim 10, wherein system BIOS transfers at least part of the contents of volatile memory to the non-volatile cached storage media.
 17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for performing a system memory save in non-volatile cached storage, the processing instructions for directing an information handling system comprising at least one processor to perform the steps of: generating a list of data in a non-volatile cached storage in the information handling system to be invalidated upon transition to a decreased power state, wherein the decreased power state is between ACPI S3 and S4; receiving a command to transition into the decreased power state; finalizing the list of data using a storage driver in the information handling system; passing the list of data to a system BIOS; determining if available space in a non-volatile primary storage exceeds a reserve requirement; invalidating the contents of the non-volatile cached storage identified in the list of data, wherein the invalidating continues until available space of the non-volatile primary storage is large enough to store at least part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage; transferring the at least part of the contents of the non-volatile cached storage to the non-volatile primary storage, wherein the non-volatile cached storage is operable to cache files for the non-volatile primary storage; transferring at least part of the contents of volatile memory in the information handling system to the non-volatile cached storage; and powering down the volatile memory.
 18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the list of data comprises a flush block list, an available space list, and a target block list.
 19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the flush block list identifies blocks of data in the non-volatile cached storage to transfer upon transition to a decreased power state, wherein the available space list identifies empty blocks within the non-volatile cached storage which can be used to cache files or save system memory, and wherein the target block list identifies empty blocks within the non-volatile cached storage which can be used to save system memory during a transition to a decreased power state.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein generating the list of data in the non-volatile cached storage includes updating the list of data during normal operation of the non-volatile cached storage. 